Shutter signal and lock for cameras.



Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

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Attorneys T. W. FORD. SHUTTER SIGNAL AND LOCK FOR CAMERAS..

APPLlCATIOH FILED MAR.24.I9|1.

2 mi zlnventog,

THOMAS WALLER FORD, 01' CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

SHUTTER SIGNAL AND LOCK F63 CAMERAS.

specification of'Iietters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1c, 1918.

Application filed March 24, 1917. Serial No. 157,201.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. Form, a citizen of the Unitd States,residing at Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State ofTennessee, have invented a new and useful Shutter Signal and Look forCameras, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates generally to cameras, and aims to providea novel and improved shutter signal and lock, which is so constructedand operable that after an exposure has been made, a signal is providedto indicate that fact, and the shutter mechanism is locked to preventthe operation thereof until the exposed ortion of the film or plate isremoved from ehind the lens, in which event, the signal is removed andthe shutter unlocked.

It is the object of the invention'to provide a. shutter signal and lockof the nature indicated which will prevent the double exposure of thesensitized surface or the destruction of an exposure reviously made soas to blank the exposed sensitized surface, the resent improvementsbeing particularly use 1 toamateurs, and being of utility general y. 4

It is also the object of the invention to provide a device of the natureindicated which is comparatively simple and inexpen sive inconstruction, which can be readily embodied in various propriate changesor alterations within the scope of what is hereinafter claimed, andwhich is practical and ellective in use.

With the foregomg and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination' andarrangement'of parts and in that chang thedetails of constructionhereinafter described and claimed, it being understood es in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit. of theinvention.

- The invention is illustrated the septumlding igure 1 is a front viewof a ements camera having the present impro embodied therewith.

Fig. 2 is an enlar ed elevation show' the working parts 0 the signal and132% in normal position.

Fi 3 is a view similar tod ig. 2 showing tile parts in the position theyassume cameras, by making ap- 14 and 15 respectively top of thecompartment 9 and the upperporapplied to a foldingcamera, it will beu'nderstood by those skilledin the art, tat the improvements can be usedin vnriou styles of cameras with equal success and propriety,

suitable changes or alterations being made within the scope of what isclaimed.

The camera illustrated embodies the casing or body Icontaining a spoolor reel 2 for windingv up a sensitized film, said spool bein turned ,ymeans usua The shutter mechanism is desi iat'ed generally by the numeral4. and is o ordinary construction, being connected by the bellows 5 withthe casing or body. The shutter mechanism has'the housing 6, the shutteoperating. lever or finger piece 7 pivoted therein and extending fromsaid housing, and a lever 8 fulcrumed within the housing 6 and operatedby the lever 7, the lever 8. being raised when the lever 7 is pressed,to operate the shutter. The details v of the shutter operating mechanismare com mon and well known, and need not be illustrated or described.

In carrying out the invention, as illustrated, the housing 6 hasupstanding compertinent 9 at the top thereo which s also covered by theface plate 10 of the housing 6, and a signal member or plate llisshdable vertically; within the compartment. 9,,the samebeing provided atits sides with guide flanges 12 or the member 11. Said member hasprinted or otherwise provided thereon the legend Exposed, and the faceplate 10, has an opening or slot 13 through ,which said legend can bereadily seen when the membe'lll is '(lllhe member. ll has upwar y ownwary rojecti stems ap slida ble thro u gh the tion of the housing 6, acoiled wire expansion springlfi surrounding the stem 14 and beingbetween the member 11 and upper portion of the'compartmentQ to depressthe member 11 when it is released. The stem 15 projects into the housingand cooperates with the lever 8, whereby when said lever is raised, thiswill raise the stem 15 and member, 11.

of a finger piece/3 as As a means for holding the signal member 11 inraised signaling position and for locking the shutter mechanism, thereis provided a depending latch 17 pivoted at its upper 5 end, as at 17,within the compartment 9 and projecting downwardly into the housing 6and back of the signal member 11. The latch 17 has an upwardly facingshoulder 18, and is pressed forwardly under the infiuence of a suitablespring 18', whereby when the member 11 is raised, the latch will snaforwardly to bring the shoulder 18 un erneath the member 11 to hold itin raised position against the tension of the spring 16. \Vhen themember -11 is in lowered position, it will hold the latch 17 rearwardly,out of the path of movement of the lever S but when the member 11 israised and the latch snapped forwardly, the lower end of the latch willoverhang the lever 8 and prevent said lever from swinging upwardly, thuslocking the shutter mechanism, as seen in Fig. 4.

As a means for releasing the latch from the signal member, there isprovided a rotatable member 19 mounted within the housing 6, asillustrated, and having a. radial cam 20 engageable with a cam lug 21,with which the latch 17 is provided, whereby when the member 19 isrotated the cam 20 inenga ing the log 21 will force the latch rearwardly to release the member 11 and move the latch rearwardly out of the pathof movement of the lever 8. i A

The cam 20 is operated bythe winding of the film upon the spool 2, inorder that when the film has been wound a certain amount upon the spoolto remove the exposed por tion from in rear of the lens, the cam 20 willengage the lug 21 and release the signal and look. A flexible shaft 22of any suitable character has one end connected to the member 19 and itsother end connectedto a spur gear 23 rotatable within a suitable housing24 carried by the bottom of the casing or body 1, and the spur ar 23meshes with a spur gear 25 which, is rotatable with the spool'2, thespur gear 25 bein mounted in any suitable manner within t e casing orbody, whereby when the s 001 2 is rotated to wind up the film, this wilrotate the gears and shaft 22.

- In operation, the cam 20 is normally moved ast the lu 21, as seen inFig. 2, thus re easing the latch. Now, when the lever or finger piece 7'i operated to make the exposure, the lever-"Bis raised, and in bearingagainst the tem 15 will 'raise the signal member 11 tobring the legendExposed behind the opening 13, the latch 17 snapping forwardly intoengagement with the member 11 to hold it in signaling position, and whenthe lever 8 returns to normal lowered: 1position, the latch will snapforightly farther, to engage over said lever 8 and prevent thesubsequent opera tion thereof until the latch is released. This willprovide a signal indicating the fact that an exposure has been made. Theshutter 'mechanism is also looked to prevent a second exposure until theexposed sensitized surface is removed. Thus, when the spool 2 is rotatedto \vind,u) the film thereon, the gear 25 will rotat the gear 23 andflexible shaft 22, vwhich in turn rotates the member 19 and cam 20, andwhen said cam moves past, the lug 21, it will press the latch rearwardlyto release the signal member 11, and when said signal member is loweredby the spring 16, it will hold the latch 17 in its rearmost )osition outof the way of the lever 8. T 1e exposure of the unexposed portion of thesensitized surface can then b made as before. 7 1

The operator can at any time tell whether the portion of the film behindthe lens has been exposed, by observing whether or not the signal is insignaling position.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. Thecombination with a camera having a shutter mechanism, of means movablefrom normal releasing position to lock said mechanism, means moved bysaid mechanism for normally holding the aforesaid means. in normalposition and when moved by said mechanism releasing the aforesaid meansto lock said mechanism, the second mentioned means being inturn held,when moved, by, the first mentioned means, and, means for 100 returningthe first mentioned means to normal position.

2. The combination with a camera having a, shutter mechanism, of a latchmovable from normal releasing position to lock said mech- 105 anismagainst repeated operation, a membe:- normally holding said latch innormal position and movable by said mechanismwo release the latch, saidmember being in. turn held, when moved by said mechanism, ,by 110 thelatch, and means for returning the latch to normal position.

3. The combination with a camera having a shutter mechanism, of a latchmovable from normal position to lock said mecha- 116 nism againstrepeated operation, a member normally holding said latch innormaliposition and movable by said mechanism to release the latch, saidmember being held,

when moved b said mechanism, by the latch, i

other position when said mechanism is operated, the latch having meansfor holding said member when moved by said mechanism when the latch ismoved to locking position, and means for returning the latch to normalposition.

5. The combination with a camera having a shutter mechanism, of a signalmember movable to signaling position when said mechanism is operated, alatch movable into engagement with said member when it is in signalingposition and operable for locking said mechanism against repeatedoperation,

means rotatable by the removal of a sensitized member from in rear ofthe shutter mechanism, a rotatable cam member for returning the latch tonormal position, and a flexible shaft connecting the two last namedmeans.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS WALLER FORD.

Witnesses:

Geo. W. WAGNER, L. A. DOWNER.

